NFL Week 2 Upset Alert Picks

We began our weekly NFL 3-Packs of upset selections by going 1-2 last week (2-1 ATS), correctly calling the Redskins’ upset of the Dallas Cowboys at +170. We still lost 30 cents for the week, but oh what could have been if the Calvin Johnson touchdown was not overturned, costing us a juicy +240 winner with the Lions! Anyhow, it is on to Week 2 NFL Upset Picks.

The Seahawks shocked the world by upsetting the 49ers last week, and they now get to feast on a disgraceful Denver defense that simply could not make any stops when it needed to last week. It is not a stretch to call the Jacksonville Jaguars a very ordinary offensive team, yet the Broncos allowed them to march down the field at will on every possession of the second half. Broncos coach Josh McDaniels is supposed to be a defensive guru, yet his halftime adjustments last week seemed to make it easier for the Jags to score!

Meanwhile, Seattle totally dominated on both sides of the ball, as the enthusiasm of new coach Pete Carroll seemed to rub off on his players. On offense, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck turned back the clock about five years completing 18-of-23 passes, and on defense, they held the normally potent 49ers running attack to 2.6 yards per carry. Finally, the Broncos are on a 1-11 run against the spread as favorites of -3½ or more, and we expect them to go one better here by losing outright.

This looks like a great situational spot for the Dolphins. The Vikings had their season opener at New Orleans circled as soon as the schedule came out, and they put every effort into avenging their NFC Championship Game loss. The fact that they came up short has to be disheartening to them, and the fact that this is an interleague game, which are the least important games on the schedule in terms of playoff tiebreakers, only increases the chances of a Minnesota letdown.

Meanwhile, this is more of a statement game for the Dolphins who would love to prove their skeptics wrong after posting an unimpressive 15-10 win at Buffalo in Week 1. If the Dolphins want to be taken seriously as playoff contenders, these are the type of games they need to win.

The Chargers continued their string of slow starts under Norv Turner by getting upset by the lowly Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night, but those that paid attention to Turner’s history were not as surprised as most people. Just how slow have San Diego’s starts been under Turner? Well, this is his fourth season as San Diego coach, and during his tenure, they have won exactly one September game by more that 10 points while going just 5-7 straight up during the month! Remember, this is for a team that always catches fire later on in the season and invariably ends up being one of the league’s best teams. The Jaguars looked decent last week and given Turner’s pattern, they are worth a pop at this price.